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Karloff talking to corpses through science? Sign me up, weirdos.
TMDB
63
IMDb
61
Rotten Tomatoes
60
Audience Score
60
Google
82
Watch

The Devil Commands (1941)

Vintage chillsGothic scienceDoomed obsession

Overview

HorrorScience Fiction

A story about a scientist who is obsessed with communicating with the dead.

Flag of USUS
Content warning
mad scientist

Standout Aspects

Acting

Karloff's tortured dignity elevating bargain-bin material.

Direction

Dmytryk's pre-blacklist shadows doing heavy lifting.

Best for:Solo: Rainy night, vintage horror mood, probably talking to yourself.·Rewatch: Karloff completists hunting his 1940s deep cuts.
Edward Dmytryk

Director

Edward Dmytryk

ReleasedAug 15, 1941
Runtime1h 5m
StatusReleased

Vibe

Paceslow
Intensitymedium
Tonedark
Feelmedium
Columbia Pictures

Top Cast

Boris Karloff

Boris Karloff

Dr. Julian Blair

Richard Fiske

Richard Fiske

Dr. Richard Sayles

Amanda Duff

Amanda Duff

Anne Blair

Anne Revere

Anne Revere

Mrs. Walters

Dorothy Adams

Dorothy Adams

Mrs. Marcy

Walter Baldwin

Walter Baldwin

Seth Marcy

Kenneth MacDonald

Kenneth MacDonald

Sheriff Ed Willis

Shirley Warde

Shirley Warde

Helen Blair

Cy Schindell

Cy Schindell

Karl

Ernie Adams

Ernie Adams

Elam

Lester Allen

Lester Allen

Dr. Van Den

Wheaton Chambers

Wheaton Chambers

Dr. Sanders

Eddie Kane

Eddie Kane

Professor Walt

Erwin Kalser

Erwin Kalser

Professor Kent

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Deep Dive

Trivia, insights & behind the scenes

Trivia

Columbia Pictures rushed this into production to capitalize on Karloff's Universal horror fame, slapping together a script from an unpublished story in mere weeks.

Insight

This was Edward Dmytryk's final B-picture before his controversial HUAC testimony and Hollywood Ten blacklisting temporarily derailed his career.

YouTube

KARLOFF AT COLUMBIA (Eureka Classics) New & Exclusive Trailer

KARLOFF AT COLUMBIA (Eureka Classics) New & Exclusive Trailer

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